Illustration by Arnie Bermudez

The new Student Union Memorial Center has almost everything.

But it fundamentally lacks one thing. It isn't a type of food, cushier couches to sleep on, additional ATMs, prettier pictures on the wall or more shaded tables outside. Rather, its something that is invisible, yet essential.

Anyone who remembers the old student union may know.

Put young minds that have a taste for good music in a studio and see what happens: KAMP Student Radio. And it has been happening since 1988.

Unfortunately, most students are unfamiliar with KAMP.

It's high time that student radio sound waves break through the concrete walls of one of the largest student unions in the country ÷ not to mention the soon-to-be renovated Park Student Union, the Arizona Bookstore and the Student Recreation Center.

Jessica Lee Associate Editor

Those of you fifth-year students may recall a time when KAMP was played over the PA system in the old union. Broadcasting from their nook in the basement of the building, KAMP was heard in the heart of campus.

That's history now. And the decision came down to money.

When the new student union was in its construction phase, Assistant Director of Residence Life Steve Gilmore helped design the distribution system so anyone who got the contract could provide cable service to the building. Gilmore, nicknamed "the UA cable guy," hoped that the Residence Life cable service could be fed into the building.

Residence Life currently provides cable service to all on-campus dorms.

But when it came down to bidding for the contract with the union and bookstore selection committee, "I advised them not to take my offer," Gilmore admitted. Due to limits with Resident Life's current provider, he could not present a proposal that was as cheap as those of the other cable providers.

Direct TV took the hat. And student-produced radio got a slap in the face.

Hooking up in the student union would require a one-time cost of extending the fiber optics into the feed system. "There is no technological reason why we can't get our system into the union," said Gilmore.

And that applies to Park Student Union and the Student Recreation Center.

"No one thought down the road that we would need a link to the ResLife cable," Brian Carswell, associate director of facilities and operations at the Student Recreation Center. "We are not opposed to the idea, but we have not had this conversation in a long time. Maybe it is about time to have those talks."

But Gilmore isn't in a position to offer the Rec Center service it can afford. Due to contract constraints, he can only offer the same prices the dorms get ÷ which, for a hook-up like that, is beyond expensive.

Direct TV was able to win the contract because of their pricing flexibility. Depending on the number of people who view the programs, the service prices can differ.

Gilmore is currently attempting to renegotiate the contract Residence Life has with its provider. Yet, with every month that slips by due to contract hurdles, student radio is effectively silenced.

Arizona Student Unions should feel an obligation to promote campus student radio. While Larry Jones, program director of operations at the union, may argue that Direct TV enables the various restaurants to choose from hundreds of music channels including ethnically themed tunes, only having Direct TV molds the building into Any Union, USA.

The best solution would be for Residence Life to build a contract with Direct TV, which can then renegotiate its contract with the union so both services can be provided.

Arizona Bookstore enjoys the variety of music that can be picked up from Direct TV because it plays music from six different zones in the store. "KAMP is only one radio station; now we have over 100 to choose from," said B.J. Tietjen, senior program director of the bookstore. While most KAMP programs may not be appropriate in the book section, why couldn't they be the "upbeat" selection of music preferred in the clothing section?

Perhaps wanting student radio to have a central role in campus music is a consequence of growing up in the "Saved by the Bell" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" era, where student radio was run behind a high-profile glass window that students walked by, listening.

Student-run radio is everything that is odd, offbeat, alternative, underground, local, diverse and daring. This year, KAMP has more than 80 new DJs who volunteer their time to bring to the ear everything that mainstream radio fails to cover ÷ including the campus and Tucson scene.

Pressure from the administrative heavens could possibly facilitate a contact negotiation between Direct TV and Residence Life. "The people here are passionate about music," remarked Anna Suarez, student general manager of KAMP.

Students deserve to be exposed to KAMP's programming while on campus.

At this university, there is a public place for student radio. And the next place should be the student union, followed by the bookstore, the Student Recreation Center and the Park Student Union. Until then, students starving for real music must continue to listen privately off the KAMP Web site and from the weak 1570AM signal.

-Jessica Lee is an environmental science senior. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.